Big Garden Birdwatch

Always a pleasure to stop for an hour, and complete this survey. 13 species recorded in the garden. The Long-tailed Tits stayed away, but it was nice to see a pair of Coal Tits for the first time. This species moved into the woods above Hill Road about two years ago, and up to now we have only seen single birds in the garden. The most remarkable bird was an over-wintering Blackcap, which along with Ciffchaff, now regularly stay in the Eastbourne area.

 Robin. We recorded a pair, and briefly a third individual.

 One of a pair of Dunnock

Coal Tit

Blackcap, skulking in the willow

Petworth

 Egyptian Goose

 Drake Goosander

Red Kite

Woods above Hill Road in Winter

The bleakness of the woods on a still, cold and grey day in January. Most of these trees are dead Ash.

An early Violet

Sunrise

Over Eastbourne, from Hill Road

Sunset

At Penhurst

House Sparrows at Birling Gap

I have photographed these before, but the light on Sunday was fantastic.

Birds on the feeders

I have recently experimented with new feeders, food and locations in my garden. Gratifyingly they now attract Coal Tits and Long-tailed Tits, in addition to the Robins, Dunnocks, Blue and Great Tits that already visited.

Robin

Coal Tit

Coal Tit flying away

Long-tailed Tit

Blue Tit

Tilgate Nature Centre

A small zoo, that I had not visited for several years, which has really developed. In addition to some interesting mammals (Raccoon Dogs), it now has a really varied collection of birds, reptiles and amphibians, one that would rival many much larger zoos.

It was cold and sunny on my visit, and the mongoose were taking full advantage.

 Yellow Mongoose

 Meerkat

Lilac-breasted Roller

Birling Gap

A beautiful, cold sunny morning.

 Carrion Crow

 Jackdaw over the set-aside field

Three of the four Great Crested Grebes out on the sea

Littlington

A surprise afternoon of work due to a burst water main. Love and sunny (and muddy) in the Cuckmere Valley.

 Canada Geese

 Wigeon

 Male Pintail, which was shadowing this female Mallard

 Wigeon

Pintail

Rye Harbour

Lapwing

Reed Bunting

Golden Plover

Little Grebe

Part of the fantastic Golden Plover flock

Brent Geese

Pett Level

Pett Level remains a busy place, with good numbers of Curlew, Lapwing and Turnstone in the fields at high tide.

 Curlew

 Squabbling Black-headed Gulls

 Turnstone

 Curlew

 Typically busy view: Curlew, Lapwing and Starling

 Lapwing, keeping its eyes on me, even looking the other way

Dunlin